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Committee approves CDBG application, lighthouse sponsorship and Bemis Creek LWRP grant application
Summary
The committee authorized submission of a CDBG economic-development application for a Mayville spa and boutique hotel, agreed to sponsor a non-point-source grant study for the Dunkirk Lighthouse & Veterans Park Museum, and approved a Bemis Creek LWRP grant application with state-match and local-match considerations (including approximately $70,500 remaining lake-management funds).
The Chautauqua County Planning and Economic Development Committee approved several grant-related agenda items intended to support downtown investment and lakefront infrastructure.
CDBG application for Mayville: Stephanie Nicks, special project coordinator with the county planning office, said the county will submit a Community Development Block Grant application for an economic-development project in Mayville that would support the opening of a spa and boutique hotel. The application would aim to create six jobs, four targeted to low- and moderate-income individuals, if the award is made. Nicks said a public hearing on the application is scheduled for the full legislature meeting at the Robert H. Jackson Center.
Dunkirk Lighthouse sponsorship: Dave McCoy, county watershed coordinator, requested that the county sponsor a non-point-source grant application on behalf of the Dunkirk Lighthouse & Veterans Park Museum to evaluate shoreline stabilization or relocation options. McCoy said the lighthouse currently sits on a bluff that is eroding and that the countys role would be to manage reporting and consultant procurement; the committee approved moving forward.
Bemis Creek LWRP application and dredging: McCoy also presented a Local Waterfront Revitalization Program (LWRP) application to study and perform dredging on Bemis Creek. He described a project estimated at about $400,000 with a 25% local match (roughly $100,000) and noted $70,500 remains in a county capital account established for Chautauqua Lake maintenance; he said imperiled-mussel surveys and permitting increase costs. McCoy estimated work might begin in 2028 if state funds are awarded in late 2026 or 2027. Committee members discussed prioritization and legal questions about using the designated capital fund; staff explained the capital project was created to hold lake-maintenance funds and may be used as match for grants. The committee authorized the applications and discussed next steps for procurement and consultant selection.
What to watch: The Bemis Creek effort carries regulatory and permitting complexity (including costly mussel surveys) and relies on competitive state funding; if awarded, contracting and environmental review will follow, with construction likely a year or more after award.
